April 15, 2008 - This summer the Guitar Hero franchise will be rocked by a true legend of rock: Aerosmith. And while it would be easy to brush this title aside as a generic Guitar Hero with a catalogue approach, this title looks to be a lot more than your standard Guitar Hero game. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is changing up the Guitar Hero formula by adding more features and giving fans a completely new Guitar Hero experience.

First off, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will be the first Guitar Hero game with an actual story. In this title you will be able to play as either one of the band's two guitar players: Brad Whitford or Joe Perry. Gamers will also be able to play as Tom Hamilton, the band's bass player. Through the lens of these three guitar players, the player will experience the saga of Aerosmith in a way they never have before. You will be able to experience the band's ups and downs first-hand, which is pretty exciting. And if you're a real music history buff like me, then you know that Aerosmith has quite the sordid past, so there will definitely be lots of drama and excitement!

In addition to playing as members of the band, there will also be several opening acts that utilize characters from Guitar Hero III. You will still be able to trick out your characters, but this time they will all have Aerosmith stylized options. There will also be several customization options for when you play as the band members as well, including unlockable guitars that you will be able to use from the rock stars' personal collections.

And of course we have to talk about the track list. If you think it's going to be all Aerosmith, then you're wrong, because Guitar Hero: Aerosmith will feature not only songs from the game's titular band, but will also feature songs from artists that inspired them. So in addition to Aerosmith standards like "Sweet Emotion" and "Draw the Line," you'll also be treated to "I Hate Myself" by Joan Jett and "Dream Police" by Cheap Trick among many others. And while only a few tracks have been confirmed as of this preview, there should be about a dozen non-Aerosmith songs and many more from the band itself, ranging all the way from the band's humble beginnings in the early seventies to their latest album from 2004.

One thing Aerosmith fans will be very happy about is the faithful recreation of Aerosmith's signature stage style. All the band members did extensive motion capture work for the game in order to try to recreate their on-stage movements with as much fidelity as possible. Fans will find that signature moves and gestures they might have seen at a live show will remain an integral part of the "show" aspect of Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. Oh, and all of those crazy seventies inspired outfits are included in the game as well. Does anyone else remember Stephen Tyler's infamous black and white striped jumpsuit? Well,if you don't, it'll definitely be brought back in this title!

Another thing that Aerosmith fans might enjoy is the many Aerosmith-inspired locations you will be able to perform in. From music video-inspired stages to gigantic real-life venues, there are definitely some great places for you to rock out! And who knows? Maybe one of these venues will look somewhat familiar to the seasoned Aerosmith fan!

All in all, Guitar Hero: Aerosmith looks to be pretty cool. Although it might not have the variety of songs as the previous Guitar Hero games, I think that this more focused approach is a good thing. It allows for a real story to be told through the music, and it doesn't hurt that the band behind the music produced some of the best American music of all time. Guitar Hero: Aerosmith is definitely one summer game that should not be passed up!

By
Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer

Game Features:

Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, the first game built around the legendary music of America's Greatest Rock 'N Roll Band: Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton, and Joey Kramer.

This latest installment from the franchise with the #1 best-selling video game in 2007 puts players in the shoes of Perry (guitar), Whitford (guitar), and Hamilton (bass), as they rock out alongside frontman Tyler and drummer Kramer.

Gamers will experience Aerosmith's GRAMMY winning career, from their first gig to becoming rock royalty, in a way that no other entertainment vehicle offers.

As fans progress through their careers in the game, they can rock out to scores of Aerosmith's greatest hits, as well as songs from celebrated artists that the band has either performed with or has been inspired by in some way.

Venues from historical moments during the band's illustrious career offer the experience of "sweet emotion" and further capture the essence of the band's rise to fame.